Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal

Of course, the New York Knicks do this trade with the opposite rationale. They’re getting the best player in the deal.

Ben Simmons is complicated. He’s got physical health problems and appears to have some mental health issues as well. His unwillingness to shoot threes severely limits team-building strategies. Still, when he takes the floor, he’s a dynamo.

With this deal, the Knicks land a 6’10 point guard with elite floor vision. He’s also one of the very best defensive players this league has to offer. If he’s ready to play, he should make the Knicks a better team.

His fit alongside Julius Randle largely depends on which Julius Randle shows up next season. If he shoots something in the neighborhood of the 30.8% from long-range that he did last year, they’ll struggle to co-exist.

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On the other hand, if he can edge closer to the 41.1% he shot in 2020-21, who knows? The Knicks could be a problem next year by acquiring Simmons.